Tiramisu: Delaware Restaurant Guide to Desserts

Tiramisu has become such a hit at Capers & Lemons that the staff began selling it by the sheet pan.

“For such a classic dessert, it is one of the best I’ve ever had,” says general manager Nick Georigi. “And my mother agrees.”

Credit chef Michael O’Hare’s “maniacal approach to consistency,” Georigi says. The right ingredients, the right technique create a layer cake that’s not overly sweet, and somehow even light and refreshing. Tiramisu of course, translates from Italian as “pick-me-up,” thanks to its main structural component, espresso-dipped ladyfinger cookies. A whipped mixture of egg yolks and mascarpone cheese, cocoa and other ingredients add layers between the cookies. The recipe has been tweaked countless times, but the basic elements remain.

At C&L, O’Hare’s ladyfingers get just a quick, one-sided dunk into the espresso to maintain structural integrity, and the resulting cake is something to behold. (301 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, 256-0524), The Buttery is a Rehoboth Beach Chocolate Festival champion for its tiramisu. Kahlua-laced ladyfingers here become one with imported mascarpone and a glaze of creamy chocolate ganache. (102 Second St., Lewes, 645-7755)